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What happened? Three prisoners burst into a fellow inmate’s cell as he was eating and rained down punches and kicks that caused his teeth to fall out. Rubbery, Cummings and Lewis launched the cowardly three-on-one attack on Christopher Bunn on his bed following a dispute about laundry and left him with nasty facial injuries.

The trio approaching the victim's cell (Image: CPS)

Why did they do it? Andrew Davies, for Rubbery, said he asked his client why he got involved and he did not really know why. He added: “He accepts he was foolish to involve himself in an argument that was not to do with him.” Sara Palmer, for Cummings, said her client had been in and out of prison since he was 18. She said he had “little recollection” of what happened. Ben Waters, for Lewis, said he had got a job with a biscuit company since being released from prison and was now in a new relationship.

How were they punished? Rubbery was serving a 12-year extended sentence for rape and other offences of violence at the time. He was given an additional eight-month sentence. Cummings was given a 12-month sentence to serve on top of his current sentence. Lewis was given nine months, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 19 sessions of a thinking skills programme.

What did the judge say? Judge Paul Thomas QC said: “This was clearly an organised assault by the three of you on a fellow prisoner. That is a matter which the courts are bound to take a very serious view of indeed.”

A prisoner 'pulled drugs out of his anus and forced cell mate to swallow them'

The prisoners: Matthew Adams, 28, of no fixed address, and Jamie Wall, 30, of Burnham Avenue in Llanrumney, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to supply and possession of a synthetic cannabinoid with intent to supply.

What happened? Cell mates Adams and Wall were caught with a stash of drugs worth thousands of pounds which they intended to sell to other inmates. Some of the packets of drugs were found by officers during a cell search, while others emerged hours later after being hidden internally by one of the prisoners. It was not known how the heroin and spice – with a value of almost £6,500 – were smuggled into prison in the first place.

Why did they do it? Nicholas Gareth Jones, for Wall, said his client maintained it had been a joint enterprise between himself and Adams with some of the drugs intended for their own use and the rest to be supplied to other inmates. Ashanti-Jade Walton, for Adams, said there was no basis to his guilty pleas and he did not seek to use duress as a defence.

How were they punished? Wall was jailed for four and a half years. Adams was jailed for 40 months to run consecutively to the burglary sentence he was already serving.

What did the judge say? Judge Keith Thomas said drugs in a custodial environment were a serious problem because they led to a disruption of order in the prison.

A startled prisoner was caught by guards using a mobile phone on the toilet

What happened? Jones was startled when officers using a mobile phone detection device abruptly pulled back a curtain and found him sitting on the toilet in his cell with the phone in his hand.

What did the prosecutor say? Thomas Stanway said: "The defendant was sitting on the toilet. He dropped the item into the toilet bowl and refused to stand up.” He added that he was removed “with force” from the lavatory. One of the officers removed a small L8 Star mobile phone, which was still turned on, from the toilet bowl.

Why did he do it? Andrew Davies, defending, said the phone did not belong to his client – he used it once to call his partner following an argument. Prosecutors accepted the phone did not belong to him.

How was he punished? He was serving a 45-month sentence for possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply. Judge David Wynn Morgan jailed him for 12 months on top of that. An order was made for the phone to be destroyed.

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An inmate poured urine over a prison officer's head in an 'act of revenge'

Seth Davies (Image: South Wales Police)

Where did it happen? HM Cardiff Prison.

The prisoner: Seth Davies, 35, who did not have a fixed address, admitted administering a noxious substance with intent to injure, aggrieve, or annoy.

What happened? Davies poured urine over a guard’s head in an "unimaginably disgusting" incident which saw fluid enter his victim's eye and mouth. The prisoner, who had a previous conviction for headbutting a fellow inmate in his cell, leaned over railings on the floor above the officer and tipped the urine over him.

The shocking incident was caught on CCTV:

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Why did he do it? Robert Chudleigh, defending, said his client was misusing controlled drugs at the time and described the incident as “an act of revenge”.

How was he punished? Davies was jailed for 12 months on top of the sentence he was already serving.

What did the judge say? Judge David Wynn Morgan said the offence was “quite clearly premeditated” and described it as “calculated and deliberate”. He added: “Such offences have been described as filthy. It was, on any view, an unimaginably disgusting thing to do."

A prisoner attacked a fellow inmate using a mug stuffed in a sock

What happened? The victim – a qualified barber – was cutting a fellow inmate's hair in the communal area of the wing when he felt what he described as a "massive blow" to the back of his head. Moreton had fashioned a homemade weapon out of a mug in a sock. The victim had to be taken to hospital because it was feared he was suffering with concussion.

Why did he do it? He later said he carried out the attack because the drugs the other man had sold him were "duds".

How was he punished? He was serving a 10-month sentence at the time for a crime spree in Carmarthen which included him stealing a donation box from a church, shoplifting and assaulting police officers. He was jailed for another 34 weeks.

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Prison officers found a tiny phone hidden in the handle of a kettle

Where did it happen? HM Cardiff Prison.

The prisoner: Dean Whitehead, 33, who was moved to HM Exeter Prison, admitted possessing a mobile phone in prison.

What happened? Prison officers searched his cell and did not find anything on Whitehead, but noticed the handle of the kettle had been tampered with. They found a small mobile phone wrapped in cling film inside.

Why did he do it? Whitehead told officers the phone was damaged, but accepted he managed to use it to call his family twice a week as they lived in Manchester, a long way from the prison. Clare Fear, defending, said her client used the phone to make calls at more child-friendly times than he could when using the prison phone.

How was he punished? He was serving a three-year sentence at the time for supplying cocaine, assault, possessing a blade and possessing an offensive weapon. He was punished within the prison by being separated for three weeks and then he lost his privileges – including television and gym access – for another two weeks. He was due to be released the following month, but was jailed for another year. An order was made for the phone to be destroyed.

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A prison officer shared sexualised calls, notes and photos with an inmate

Savannah Dean (Image: Mark Lewis)

Where did it happen? HM Parc Prison.

The defendant: Savannah Dean, 24, from Weig Road in Swansea, admitted misconduct in public office by having an inappropriate relationship with a prisoner.

What happened? Prison officer Dean developed an inappropriate relationship with an inmate, which lasted for several weeks, while she was working as his personal officer. The prison authorities were made aware she was becoming “over-friendly” with him and a search of his cell revealed a box containing notes, cards and photographs from the defendant. The court heard their communication was “highly sexualised” with a reference to them kissing and discussing what else they wanted to do.

Why did she do it? She attended a voluntary interview and made full admissions, accepting she was going through a difficult time in her personal life and became close to the prisoner. Asked why she did not block his calls she said she was frightened of him, accepted she had “overstepped the mark” and apologised.

How was she punished? Dean resigned from her post. She was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, and ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work, plus 14 days of rehabilitation activity.

What did the judge say? Judge Michael Fitton QC said misconduct in public office was a “very serious matter” and such behaviour “undermines public confidence in the prison system”. He added it was unsettling for other prisoners, who see someone receiving different treatment, and impacts on the work of other prison officers.

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An inmate punched and headbutted a prison officer who was bringing him food

Where did it happen? HM Parc Prison.

The prisoner: Cory Tomlinson, 30, who was moved to HM Stoke Heath Prison in Shropshire, admitted assaulting an emergency worker.

What happened? He tried to push past two guards as they collected his meal tray to bring him food. He then punched one of them in the face, with the force of the blow knocking the prison officer backwards and cutting his lip.

Why did he do it? Neil Evans, defending, said the offending happened when Tomlinson stopped receiving medication for mental health problems.

How was he punished? His privileges had already been limited due to bad behaviour and he was not allowed to leave his cell. He was two months away from being released, but was sentenced to another six months behind bars.

What did the judge say? Judge Eleri Rees said: “Those who assault prison officers must expect punishment. Such assaults will not be tolerated.”

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An inmate threw hot water from a kettle at prison officers' faces

Where did it happen? In the serving area of A-Wing at HM Swansea Prison.

The prisoner: Meshtaq Saunders, 21, who did not have a fixed address, admitted four counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

What happened? Saunders was waiting for food, but it ran out and inmates were told fresh supplies would have to be brought from elsewhere in the prison. Saunders became "irate" and had to be carried back to his cell. He then managed to grab a kettle of hot water, which he threw over prison officers. He began waving a mop around and threatening to kill them.

What was his mitigation? Ashanti-Jade Walton, for Saunders, said her client had spent "most of his teenage years" going in and out of prison and did not want to spend his 20s in the same way.

How was he punished? He was being held on remand at the time after being arrested on suspicion of dealing drugs. He was subsequently jailed for five years and it emerged he had been sent to Wales by a London-based drugs gang. He was jailed for an additional eight months for the offences in prison.

What did the judge say? Judge Keith Thomas said it was important there was orderly conduct inside prisons.

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A teenager changed his mind as he tried to smuggle cannabis into prison

Where did it happen? HM Parc Prison.

The defendant: Darnell Graham, 19, from Sussex Place in Bristol, admitted two counts of taking prohibited items into prison.

What happened? Graham changed his mind as he tried to smuggle cannabis and tobacco into HM Parc Prison but was caught after he was strip searched. He tried to avoid prison officers and back out of the visitor search area while sneaking the banned items to a friend who was serving a sentence for robbery.

What did the prosecutor say? Martha Smith-Higgins said: “He was seen by the officers to be acting suspiciously. He attempted to re-trace his steps back through the doors he used to enter the area.”

Why did he do it? Alec Small, defending, told the court his client was from a particularly disadvantaged background and was at the prison to visit a friend who was an inmate. He added: “It may have started as bravado, but when he passed the door, he realised at that moment what he had done was a mistake.”

How was he punished? Judge Nicola Jones imposed a six-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, and ordered him to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work, plus 15 days of a rehabilitation activity. He was ordered to pay £340 costs.

What did the judge say? She said: "In my view, more harm than good would be served by imposing an immediate custodial sentence."

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A prisoner lit a fire in his cell because he wasn't allowed to watch TV

Michael Evans (Image: South Wales Police)

Where did it happen? HM Swansea Prison.

The prisoner: Michael Evans, 24, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to arson.

What happened? Evans set fire to his trainers because he was upset prison authorities would not return his confiscated TV set. He used a vaping pen to ignite his prison-issue shoes in his cell. It was the second time Evans had set a fire in his cell. The cost of extinguishing the fire and repairs was put at £540.

Why did he do it? He told officers he started the fire as a "protest". Kate Williams, for Evans, said he had accepted "he [was] going to be in prison for a long time". The advocate said the defendant wanted to "move on".

How was he punished? He was serving a 105-month sentence at the time. Judge Keith Thomas sentenced him to 12 months for the offence in prison to be served concurrently.

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An inmate made a weapon using a screw and a piece of plastic

The prisoner: Jason King, 29, from The Strand in Swansea, admitted possession of a bladed or pointed article in a prison.

What happened? Inmate King dropped his homemade weapon down the cell toilet when officers entered to conduct a search. He had fashioned the implement from a large screw taped to a plastic handle.

Why did he do it? James Hartson, for King, said the discovery of the weapon would have come as “no surprise” to the officers as the search followed admissions made by the defendant to the prison nurse. He said his client had been on remand in HMP Swansea at the time and had become “paranoid about his safety”.

How was he punished? He was given a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

What did the judge say? Judge Keith Thomas said the weapon found by officers would have been capable of causing serious injury had it been used and he said the undermining of prison discipline by the possession of such an item was a serious matter.

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A 'misguided' dad tried to sneak drugs into prison to help his son

John Morgan (Image: South Wales Police)

Where did it happen? HM Cardiff Prison.

The defendant: John Morgan, 61, from Hollycroft Close in Cardiff, admitted taking a prohibited item into prison.

What happened? Morgan tried to sneak drugs into prison in a bid to help out his son who was “having a hard time”. He attempted to get the Subutex – a heroin substitute – past prison guards, but he was spotted on security cameras taking the hidden package out of his mouth.

Why did he do it? Rosamund Rutter, defending, said: “It was a misguided attempt to assist his son, who was struggling in the custodial setting at the time.”

How was he punished? Judge David Wynn Morgan jailed him for four months.

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A prisoner on the final day of his sentence attacked three guards

Where did it happen? HM Parc Prison.

The prisoner: Sean Kells, 33, from Aeron Close in Barry, admitted three counts of assaulting emergency workers.

What happened? Kells, who was locked up for burglary, bit a prison officer and kicked two others the day before he was due to be released. He pushed one officer up against a cell wall before biting her thigh, then kicked a second officer to her jaw and a third to her head. Another inmate shouted at him: “Kells, it’s a woman.”

Why did he do it? One of the victims said she suspected the defendant had been on “hooch” – alcohol brewed in prison. David Leathley, defending, said he was not under the influence of alcohol, but was angry because he had been assaulted. He added: “He had been the victim of quite a horrendous assault by other inmates. He was jumped upon in his own cell and badly beaten.”

How was he punished? He was jailed for 14 months.

What did the judge say? Judge Richard Williams said it was a “ deliberate attack” on officers bravely trying to maintain order. He said: “Any inmate who lays a hand on a prison officer can expect to be dealt with severely.”

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A nursing assistant with drugs hidden in her bra was caught by sniffer dogs

Somaya Jama (Image: Facebook)

Where did it happen? HM Parc Prison.

The defendant: Somaya Jama, 31, from Lavender Grove in Cardiff, admitted taking a banned item into prison and possessing amphetamine.

What happened? Jama, who went to visit her partner in prison with their five-year-old child, tried to smuggle drugs to him hidden in her bra. She attempted to sneak £200 worth of buprenorphine past security, but was searched after attracting the attention of sniffer dogs.

Why did she do it? She said she felt pressured to do it because her boyfriend was a drug user and told her he was not getting the support he needed from prison staff. The defendant stated she knew what she was doing was illegal but did not realise the punishment could be so serious.

How was she punished? Jama was given a six-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work plus six days of a rehabilitation activity. She had to comply with a three-month curfew and an order was made for the drugs to be destroyed.

What did the judge say? Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said the defendant’s behaviour was “extremely foolish”.

A prisoner was caught using a mobile phone to ring his girlfriend

What happened? Bird, who was locked up in 2018 for growing and selling cannabis, was caught with a mobile phone in his cell contacting his girlfriend. Bethan Evans, prosecuting, said the defendant seemed “startled” when two officers arrived to search his cell.

Why did he do it? Sara Palmer, defending, said he missed the Friday afternoon deadline to upload credit to the prison phone and would not have been able to contact his partner over the weekend. Ms Palmer said the phone did not belong to him, he borrowed it from another prisoner, and did not use it to commit further crimes. She added: “He simply wished to contact his girlfriend.”

How was he punished? He was 10 months into his six-and-a-half-year sentence when he was caught. Judge Michael Fitton QC jailed him for 12 months on top of his current sentence. An order was made for the phone to be confiscated.

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A mum was caught trying to smuggle heroin into prison in her bra

Where did it happen? HM Parc Prison.

The defendant: Beverley McLaughlan, 57, of Banwell Close in Morriston, Swansea, pleaded guilty to conveying a specified substance into a prison.

What happened? McLaughlan was caught trying to smuggle heroin to her inmate son after prison officers listened in to a phone call between the pair. Prosecutors said there was no direct reference to drugs during the conversation but he made repeated requests to his mother to “sort it out for me”. She was found with 1g of the drug hidden inside her bra when she arrived to visit.

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Why did she do it? When police later searched her home they found a note – unsigned but addressed to “mam” – saying “just get as much as possible” and “I wants gear”. Dan Griffiths, defending, said following “emotional pressure” from her son the defendant had decided to try to get the Class A drugs into prison “out of a sense of misguided loyalty”.

How was she punished? McLaughlan was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course. She was ordered to pay a court surcharge of £140.

What did the judge say? Judge Keith Thomas said the guidelines were clear that people who try to smuggle drugs into prison should go to jail but he was prepared to take the “wholly exceptional” step of imposing a suspended sentence to allow the defendant to get the help and support she needed.